The long-awaited Ghibli Park has opened in the grounds of Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park (Moricoro Park.) However, Ghibli Park has a limited number of tickets available, and many people have been unable to obtain tickets due to the “fierce competition” and “30,000 people waiting in line”.
Many of you must be itching to get to Ghibli Park as soon as possible, and we have good news for you! Ghibli Park has a free play area.
So this time, we will introduce the free areas of Ghibli Park that you can enjoy without a ticket.
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What is Ghibli Park?
Ghibli Park is a park that expresses the world of Studio Ghibli, which was created in consultation with the forest in “Expo 2005 Aichi, Japan Commemorative Park (Moricoro Park)”.
Five areas have been created in the park that represent the world of Studio Ghibli’s masterpieces, allowing visitors to experience the world of the films as if they were the main characters in the movies.
In November 2022, the “Hill of Youth,” “Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse” and “Dondoko Forest” will be completed, and in 2023, “Mononoke Village” and “Valley of Witches” will be completed.
Access to Ghibli Park
Ghibli Park is located at the “Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park”. It is just a short walk from “Ai-Chikyuhaku Kinen Koen” station after transferring to Linimo from Fujigaoka Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line.
Parking is available in the park, but access by public transportation is recommended, as the park is crowded on weekends.
Elevator Tower (Hill of Youth Area)
The first phase of the park’s opening is divided into three areas: “Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse,” “Hill of Youth,” and “Dondoko Forest”. The Elevator Tower, one of the entrances to Ghibli Park, is a free admission spot.
The design is based on the imaginary scientific world of the late 19th century, which was the model for the world of “Laputa: Castle in the Sky”.
In the evening, lights are turned on to create a fantastic space.
The atmosphere of the outside lights is also very nice.
World Emporium（Hill of Youth）
This is the “World Emporium” from “Whisper of the Heart”. It is a realistic recreation of the place where the main character, Tsukishima Shizuku, is guided by a cat, Moon, and arrives by chance.
The area outside the fence is a free area, so taking pictures from outside is allowed!
The rotary square in front of the “World Emporium” is also within sight. . The same atmosphere as in the movie makes our hearts dance.
Even the restrooms near the World Emporium is also somewhat full of Ghibli feel.
What I want to recommend here is that there is actually a cave directly below the World Emporium!
You will have to wait until you enter to find out what is inside.
Just strolling through the park and looking at the World Emporium will make you feel as if you have wandered into the world of Ghibli.
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse Area
This is the “Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse.” Inside this huge facility, you will find a video exhibition room, three special exhibitions, a store, and a café, all of which are packed with “Ghibli”.
You can catch a glimpse of the inside from the outside, and that alone is already quite exciting.
Ghibli Park Touro-mon Gate
The Tourou-mon Gate, reminding one of the oil house in “Spirited Away,” is located in the area leading to the Dondoko Forest. Originally, the gate of the former Japanese-style restaurant Inamoto, which existed until 2018, was relocated (restored) to coincide with the opening of Ghibli Park.
As sculptures that match the scenery of the Tourou-mon gate, objects of stone figures from the movie “Spirited Away” have been installed and surrounded by used stone lanterns and water bowls to create a plaza with a movie-like atmosphere.
You can take photos here for free, too. Please check it out.
Find the Bench Object in Ghibli Park!
Lost and found items of Ghibli characters are placed in every corner of the park. There are a total of 15 locations. It is a lot of fun just to complete them all.
Here are some of them.
Here is Shizuku from “Whisper of the Heart” who forgot her straw hat and book.
Student cap and bag from “From Up On Poppy Hill”. Did Shun Kazama forget these?
Pazoo from “Castle in the Sky” has forgotten his important goggles, hasn’t he?
Oops, oh my goodness! Porko from “Porco Rosso” has forgotten the bag of dollars he saved as a prize hunter. This is a very different level of lost and found, isn’t it?
There are a total of 15 different bench objects in the park, so please try to take a picture of all of them to complete your visit.。
Rotunda Kazegaoka (North Entrance of the Park) Cafeteria
If you are tired of walking, take a break at the Rotunda Kazugaoka cafeteria in the free area. Located at the north entrance of the park, Rotunda Kazegaoka has two stores, one for food and beverages and the other for souvenirs.
The location is on the way to the elevator tower after getting off at “Ai-Chikyuhaku Kinen Koen” station.
The interior of the restaurant is stylishly decorated in a modern Japanese style. As a Japanese-style cafe focusing on onigiri (rice balls), 11 different types of onigiri are available.
Take-out is also available, so we recommend having it while picnicking in the park.
One of the most recommended is the “Neapolitan” (ketchup-seasoned pasta) rice ball, a favorite of director Goro Miyazaki, who directed the production of Ghibli Park. There is really Neapolitan inside.
You can also enjoy sweets such as anmitsu (sweet bean paste) and green tea lattes made from Nishio City’s matcha (powdered green tea) to soothe your body after a long day of walking.
Ghibli Goods are Available! Rotunda Kazegaoka North Exit Shop
The store next to the cafeteria offers a wide range of products, including toys to play with in the park, original goods, candies from around the world, and Ghibli goods that are only available here.
The straw hats worn by the characters in Ghibli’s works are recommended goods only available here!
Ursula from “The Kiki’s Delivery Service,” Shizuku Tsukishima from “Whisper of the Heart,” Sophie from “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” and many other hats are available.
Other attractive goods include the flying stone soap bubbles and Porco Rosso paper airplanes!
Check out the Ghibli goods on your way home!
In this issue, we have introduced the part of Ghibli Park that you can enjoy free of charge!
For those with young children, or those who just want to enjoy the atmosphere or just want to buy souvenirs and goods, even the free area alone will be enjoyable enough .
Why don’t you visit the park for a weekend outing?
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